Better Than Christmas! - Mystery in the Midlands is coming!

 Better than Christmas! – Mystery in the Midlands is coming!  by Debra H Goldstein

 Mystery in the Midlands is coming virtually, and I can’t wait! 

 

Last year, over nine hundred (you read that right – over 900) readers and authors attended the virtual four and one-half hour Crowdcast conference co-sponsored by Southeast Mystery Writers of America (SEMWA) and the Palmetto Chapter of Sisters in Crime. The line-up, led by Charlaine Harris was phenomenal ---- but in some ways, for me, this year is even more exciting.

 

Why?  Because I’m a die-hard fan of every panelist and I’m getting to interview the keynoter, Dr. Kathy Reichs. Who hasn’t seen Bones, the television show that was based upon her books and her life? As if it wasn’t a thrill to be interviewing her, I’ve been given the extra treat of being able to read an advance copy of her upcoming book, The Bone Code. You can bet it will be one of the things we’ll be discussing.

Dana Kaye will be moderating Mystery in the Midlands’ steaming three panels: Searing Suspense, Hot for Historicals, and Scorching Short Stories. How can you go wrong with hearing Robert Dugoni, Yasmin Angoe, Alex Segura, Laurie R. King, Caroline Todd, Lori Rader-Day, Barb Goffman, Michael Bracken, and Frankie Y. Bailey – especially when the entire cost (merely to defray expenses) is $5 (once again, yes, you read that right – simply five dollars)? Look at their pictures below, but don’t close your browser. Hurry and guarantee your spot by registering now! https://www.crowdcast.io/e/mystery-in-the-midlands-2/register  #Mystery in the Midlands

Roses are Stealthy by T. K. Thorne

 

 Writer, humanist,
          dog-mom, horse servant and cat-slave,
       Lover of solitude
          and the company of good friends,
        New places, new ideas
           and old wisdom.

Roses are following me around. 

In my first mystery/thriller/crime/urban fantasy, I named my police officer-witch, "Rose." 

Names are a funny thing. When you give one to a character, it can instantly color them and lead to interesting places.  I don't know why that name popped into my head at the critical moment of creation. I've tried to figure it out:

Was it a subconscious play on my last name, "Thorne"? 

Was I thinking of my grandmother whose name was "Rose"? 

Or was it just that it was fun, because as Rose herself says, 

"'Rose' is a difficult name. For one thing, it made me a target throughout childhood for “smells the same” taunts. For another, it sets up an assumption that fails to describe any part of my nature, conjuring an image of a tiny gray-haired woman. I am neither tiny—standing barefoot at 5’8”—nor gray-haired—dark curls minimally tamed per Birmingham police uniform regulations—and I’m more prickly thorns than soft petals."

A one-armed man gave me the climbing rose in my yard (not that one-armed man, if you are of an age to have watched "The Fugitive"). It is in full bloom as we speak. That rose bush taught me valuable lessons (See "The Rose Wars.")

Rose (the police-witch) got this for a cover:

 

All sorts of roses seem to show up in my life—a painting from a friend, a favorite scarf I never noticed had a black-and-white rose pattern, the two dozen long-stemmed roses my ex-husband (#2) sent me when he wanted to make up. That last one may be cheating since it was long ago. If my current husband sent me roses, I would definitely freak out (you have to read House of Rose to know why.)

Book two of the Magic City series is finally making its debut as House of Stone.

 

Just want to be clear, that is a red diamond in there—in case the universe wants to do that "Law of Attraction" thing, I'm good with it!

Here's a  promo moment for the new novel:

Witches and warlocks abide in Birmingham, Alabama in three ancient Houses—Rose, Iron and Stone. They arrived over a century ago to draw their powers from the abundant ores beneath Red Mountain. Rose Brighton, a Birmingham police detective, is the last witch of House of Rose and possibly the most dangerous thing since the hydrogen bomb. A terrifying encounter with House of Iron has mentally crippled Becca, her best friend. While Becca struggles to find herself, Rose battles to control her own abilities and the supernatural attraction that pulls her to a mysterious, handsome warlock.

 

When magic kicks in at the scene of her first homicide, she learns that her partner—the mentor and friend she depends on—is lying to her, and she is on her own. Unraveling the murder entwines Rose in a web of greed and profit involving a promising new medicine. Someone is willing to kill to keep a cheap drug from the market. Not only do countless lives depend on Rose’s skills as a detective, the fate of a unique race of people facing extinction also rests on her shoulders . . . and some of them are determined to kill her.

 

Praise

“Thorne delivers a spellbinding thriller, an enthralling blend of real-world policing and other-world magic. It’s a wild ride of high stakes that pits the warm humanity of Rose and her friends against chilling powers of darkness in a battle that is both ages old and totally of today.”

—Barbara Kyle, author of The Traitor’s Daughter

“A deftly crafted and riveting read by an author with an impressively deft ability to hold the reader’s rapt attention with her original fantasy novel “House of Rose.” Readers new to her will look eagerly forward to the next title in her new Magic City Stories series. While very highly recommended for personal and community library Contemporary Fantasy Fiction collections, it should be noted that “House of Rose” is also available in a digital book format.”

—Midwest Reviews

“Rookie cop Rose Brighton never imagined that a simple suspect chase into an alley would lead her into dark passages where she would question her definition of reality, her own identity, and whether she was pawn or prey. HOUSE OF ROSE is a gem.”

— DP Lyle, award-winning author of the Jake Longly thriller series

“The life of Birmingham, Ala., rookie cop Rose Brighton, the narrator of this promising paranormal series launch from Thorne (Noah’s Wife), veers into the extraordinary one night. . . . Thorne, a retired captain in the Birmingham PD, grounds the fantasy with authentic procedural details and loving descriptions of the city and its lore. Readers will look forward to Rose’s further adventures.”

—Publishers Weekly

“T.K. Thorne is an authentic, new voice in the world of fantasy and mystery. THE HOUSE OF ROSE blends the realistic details of police work with magic. The result is an explosive story that will keep you on the edge of your seat as Rose learns of her true heritage…and the dangerous powers that are her birthright. Pick up this story—you’ll thank yourself over and over again.”

—Carolyn Haines, USA Today bestselling author of the Sarah Booth Delaney, Pluto’s Snitch, and Trouble the black cat detective mystery series.

“Although “House of Rose” is speculative fiction, a kind of fantasy, T.K. Thorne is so knowledgeable about Birmingham and law enforcement that it is also, truly, a police procedural and a thriller—something for everyone. House of Rose” is the first of a series which should be a hit.”

—Don Nobles, reviewer for Alabama Public Radio

T.K. is a retired police captain who writes Books, which, like this blog, go wherever her interest and imagination take her.  More at TKThorne.com

Moonlight & Misadventure

 by Bethany Maines

One of the best parts about the Stiletto Gang is the chance to meet and work with other mystery and romance writers. I have made many lasting friendships and learned a great deal from my fellow gang members. And last year, when Judy Penz Sheluk, a former Stiletto Gang member, posted about an opportunity to be a part of the Moonlight & Misadventure anthology, I quickly submitted my story - Tammy Loves Derek.

Tammy Loves Derek does indeed contain moonlight and more than a little misadventure, as well as some revenge and a heaping helping of just-desserts. I wrote the story intending to read it at the Seattle Noir at the Bar, but then COVID hit and so did about an extra 1500 words (it's the COVID 15 of writing!).  So now I have a lovely little tale about, Tammy Lee Swanley, who has a med-spa job, a cheating boyfriend, and a plan—a five-step, sure-fire plan to wealth and happiness.

Moonlight & Misadventure will be available at retailers everywhere on June 18.  I'm thrilled that Tammy is in such good company and I can't wait to read all the other stories!

Moonlight & Misadventure: 

Whether it’s vintage Hollywood, the Florida everglades, the Atlantic City boardwalk, or a farmhouse in Western Canada, the twenty authors represented in this collection of mystery and suspense interpret the overarching theme of “moonlight and misadventure” in their own inimitable style where only one thing is assured: Waxing, waning, gibbous, or full, the moon is always there, illuminating things better left in the dark.

Featuring stories by: K.L. Abrahamson, Sharon Hart Addy, C.W. Blackwell, Clark Boyd, M.H. Callway, Michael A. Clark, Susan Daly, Buzz Dixon, Jeanne DuBois, Elizabeth Elwood, Tracy Falenwolfe, Kate Fellowes, John M. Floyd, Billy Houston, Bethany Maines, Judy Penz Sheluk, KM Rockwood, Joseph S. Walker, Robert Weibezahl, and Susan Jane Wright.

PRE-ORDER TODAY: https://books2read.com/Moonlight-Misadventure

Release Date: 06.18.21

**

Bethany Maines is the award-winning author of the Carrie Mae Mysteries, San Juan Islands Mysteries, Shark Santoyo Crime Series, and numerous short stories. When she's not traveling to exotic lands, or kicking some serious butt with her black belt in karate, she can be found chasing her daughter or glued to the computer working on her next novel. You can also catch up with her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and BookBub.

Gay Yellen: Cruella and Me

Two fictional characters are making me crazy. One's a famous villain, the other, a hero, and lately, they've pulled a switcheroo.

Cruella de Vil, the nefarious puppy kidnapper of Dodie Smith's novel, The Hundred and One Dalmations, is the villain. Ever-popular, her story has been made and remade into film at least four times. And she's invaded my writing life twice.

In 2014, a magazine reviewer called my antagonist in The Body Business "the Cruella de Vil of the year, the kind of villain you just love to hate." The description was perfect, though I hadn't thought about Cruella when I created my own greedy vixen.

That same year, I was asked to name the actor I'd cast as the hero of my book, Samantha Newman, a determined young woman with grit and a fair sense of justice. After Emma Stone's quirky performance in “Easy A,” I chose her, partly for her physical features, but mostly for her sense of comedy which, like Samantha's, is tinged with an interesting blend of snark and genuine heart.

Fast forward to today, and imagine my surprise to discover that Emma, my Samantha of choice, is now starring as Cruella in a new Disney release. Presto change-o, hero becomes villain, and I have mental whiplash.

It helps me a bit to know that Samantha is somewhat of a mischief-maker herself. And Stone is a terrific actress. I'm hoping she's great in the part. The reviews have been mixed, but I'm a fan, so I'll watch the film and decide for myself— as soon as I get over the shock.

Truth is, we all have a combination of hero and villain inside us. For some, it's a daily struggle. But as long as we keep our good guys real and consign our bad guys to make-believe, I think we'll be okay.

P.S. If you know Emma, please tell her there's a film franchise just waiting for her to make it happen. This author would be eternally grateful.😊

Have you ever cast a favorite actor as the hero in a book?

Gay Yellen writes the award-winning Samantha Newman Mysteries. Gay would love to hear from you, here, on Facebook, BookBub, or via her website.

Behind The Scenes of This Writer's Life

 by Debra Sennefelder

 

On June 1st I made the decision to participate in a twenty day Instagram challenge that will run until the first day of summer. I thought it would be fun share some of the prompts with you they give a glimpse to this writer's writing life. :) I'll be sharing five of the prompts and my answers today.

Let's procrastinate. What do you know when you're wasting time?

I really try not to waste time. There's so much to do and I like to keep on schedule. But...there are times when I need a break so I'll read, I'll watch YouTube videos (fashion hauls, cleaning and monkeys) or I spend quality time with my little bestie, Connie.

I snapped the above photo of Connie while we were out on the patio. I was cleaning up and she was lounging. Typical! 😁

 

Beginnings.

I start my days with a workout and water. Having the workout done first thing sets me up for a good, productive day.

The prompt “Beginnings” can also be the opening line of a book. So, here’s the opening line of the next Food Blogger Mystery, THE CORPSE IN THE GAZEBO.

“Hope Early had her Explorer’s windows rolled down and the sunroof open so she could inhale the sweetness of spring blooms and feel the gentle breezes that rolled through swaying trees on her drive to Cleo Sloane’s house.”

 

 

 The view from where I write.

My home office windows look out to the stream that runs through our property and the bridge over it. In early spring the burst of daffodils make me smile.

 

 

My published works.

A couple of weeks ago, I turned in my tenth book. It's hard to believe since I signed my first contract, I've written nine more books and that I'm about to start number eleven. It's #dreamcometrue. Okay, there are some days when it's more challenging than others. This writing gig isn't always easy but anything worthwhile usually isn't. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

If there's a dream you want, go on and chase it. You never know what could happen.

 

You've been kidnapped. Which one of your characters will come to your rescue?

I'm so lucky to have so many resourceful, responsible and loyal characters who I know would come to my rescue in a heartbeat. This also means, I can't answer this question. I know who wouldn't come to my rescue - Elaine Whitcomb, Summer Blake and Ralph Blake. Oh, Maretta Kingston is kind of iffy so I wouldn't rely on her. 🤪

Now it's your turn. Which character from your favorite mystery series would you like to come to your rescue? If you're a writer, which of your characters will come to your rescue?

 

 

 

 

 Debra Sennefelder is the author of the Food Blogger Mystery series and the Resale Boutique Mystery series. She lives and writes in Connecticut. When she’s not writing, she enjoys baking, exercising and taking long walks with her Shih-Tzu, Connie. You can keep in touch with Debra through her website, on Facebook and Instagram.

A Story is Feelings

by Sparkle Abbey

One of the many advantages of a writing team is that you always have someone to talk books with. While we tend to read the same types of books, we don’t always read the same authors, so our chats are a great way to discover the-book-you-didn’t-know-you-needed-to-read.

Photo by Ekaterina Bolovtsova
from Pexels

During one of our hours-long book conversations, the topic of award-winning books came up. There was one book that we had both recently read, that we agreed was really well written, had a great plot, good twist, interesting characters, but left us. . . .unfulfilled. After a deep dive into what we loved about it, we realized that neither of us had become one hundred percent invested in any of the main characters. Anita likes to call that “imprinting.” By that, she means the character whose emotional story is being told is firmly impressed into her mind in a way that she strongly connects with them.

Don’t misunderstand, that bestseller, award-winning book we were discussing it’s NOT a bad book. We’re still talking about it. We’re just talking about the plot twists and the great writing. But for us, it wasn’t a book that either of us devoured, willing to stay up all night to finish knowing we’d be blurry-eyed, and sleep-deprived the next day. So why not?

The conversation turned to an excellent craft book (who doesn’t love a great book on writing?)

by our dear friend, Cheryl St. John, called Writing With Emotion, Tension, and Conflict: Techniques for Crafting an Expressive and Compelling Novel.  If you’re a writer and have not read this book, read it. It will change the way you write. One of the many amazing takeaways from Cheryl’s book is found on the first page of the introduction. Cheryl writes, “Probably the most important concept I’ve taken away from any book on writing is from Dwight V. Swain’s Techniques of the Selling Writer: A story is feelings.”

So much power in four words. A. Story. Is. Feelings.

Emotions come from the inner conflict, the fight within the characters themselves. When done well, those feeling are strategically woven throughout the story in a way that the reader can “imprint” on the character. As the reader we must know what happens next because we’re emotionally invested in the characters—good, bad, or fatally flawed—and the story those characters are telling.

That’s what we were missing. We didn’t know which character to imprint on, so we didn’t connect to any of the characters on a deeper level. A great lesson for us to apply to our writing. Also, it reminded us that it’s probably time to reread Writing With Emotion, Tension, and Conflict.

If you’ve recently read a book that kept you up all night, tell us about it in the comments. We want to know!

Sparkle Abbey is actually two people, Mary Lee Ashford and Anita Carter, who write the national best-selling Pampered Pets cozy mystery series. They are friends as well as neighbors so they often get together and plot ways to commit murder. (But don't tell the other neighbors.) 

They love to hear from readers and can be found on Facebook, and Twitter their favorite social media sites. Also, if you want to make sure you get updates, sign up for their newsletter via the SparkleAbbey.com website.

If We Could Travel Anywhere - Clicking Our Heels

If We Could Travel Anywhere....... Clicking Our Heels

With the pandemic and travel easing, we wondered where each member of The Stiletto Gang would go once the world truly reopened:

Donnell Ann Bell - Before COVID-19 struck in 2020, my husband, myself, and our longtime friends, had planned a trip to Scotland to participate in a walking/hiking tour. Not only did we want to visit Scotland, we wanted to walk across Scotland in honor of my dear friend who had walked across the 200-mile trek years before. She passed away from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) several years ago. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to honor her as well as experience the trip of a lifetime.

Needless to say during COVID 19 and the awful 2020, my husband and I became hooked on a British mystery series called Loch Ness. The six-episode series featured—what else—Scotland. It’s a sign, I tell you.     

Lois Winston – I want to travel to California to see the three grandchildren I haven’t seen, other than on Facetime, in more than two years.

 

Robin Hillyer-Miles - My mother, husband, and I actually have a British Isles cruise planned for September 2021 and I am attending the Georgia Romance Writers Moonlight & Magnolia conference at the end of September, early October.

 

Dru Ann Love - First I want to visit my mom and the second, return to attending read/fan conventions. 

 

Saralyn Richard - I've promised a certain young lady a trip to NYC for the annual Westminster Kennel Club dog show.

 

Kathleen Kaska - Once the world reopens, I plan to travel back to my home state of Texas and visit my family and friends.

 

Debra Sennefelder - I wasn’t a big traveler before 2020 so I have no big travel plans. Though, I really want to go out to a restaurant without any type of restrictions. Yes, that’s my dream.

 

Kathryn Lane - Once the world reopens for travel, I will go to Hong Kong, the Greek isles, Istanbul, Miami, and Cuba since these are places where my protagonist, Nikki Garcia, will be sent to confront dangerous situations in the next couple of books.

 

Debra H. Goldstein – Because of vaccinations, we finally have been able to see our children and grandchildren. Although we want more trips like that, my secret pleasure would be a week in New York seeing Broadway shows (which means Broadway needs to safely reopen, too)

T.K. Thorne - Got a trip to Machu Picchu and Galapagos waiting and maybe Japan.  There are so many places I want to see that I’ve never been!  I also want to explore the countryside around me more, and I want to hug a lot of friends and family!

Anita Carter (1/2 of Sparkle Abbey) - Anywhere! I have wanderlust right now and I’m game for just about anything. The beach, a national park, the mountains. . . .Let’s go!

Barbara Kyle - A trip anywhere with my daughter and granddaughter. When my daughter suggested it recently, it made my day. So, yup, anywhere with those two.

Linda Rodriguez - I have a dear friend who just spent several years working herself half to death as the poet laureate of San Francisco and has just been set free. I was supposed to visit her, but I had a bad fall that kept me from traveling—and then the pandemic hit. I want to go out to see her.

Shari Randall - When the world reopens the first thing I'll do is hug my parents, my kids, and my friends, then I'd love to rent a motorhome and visit the national parks out west.

 

Mary Lee Ashford - First and foremost, family. I miss seeing family so much. And if there's any way that could include a beach...that would be awesome. 

Bethany Maines - Ireland!  I was planning a trip before COVID and now it's sort of indefinitely on hold and we need to see if we're going to be re-roofing the house instead.  Maybe we'll just forget everything and head to Hawaii for a week.

Gay Yellen - So many places! Book conferences.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Researching in Miami

 By Kathryn Lane

I place my novels in countries where I traveled during my corporate job. Miami is a city where I attended many regional conferences. I also passed through the international airport innumerable times coming from or going to Latin America and the Caribbean. Yet I only saw the city from airline windows as we approached the airport, through taxi windows as we drove to hotel conferences, or from hotel rooms for the couple of days I would attend meetings.  

Now I’m setting a novel in Miami. It’s the perfect excuse to do on-site research and get to know the city. I’d planned this trip last year and then Covid hit, so I put my novel on hold. Now I’m here in a wonderfully hospitable city. I love that Spanish is spoken everywhere. A diverse city, Miami is a melting pot of people from Latin America and the Caribbean. And yet there are immigrants representing every country in the world. Tourists from around the globe flock here, too.

My novel starts in Miami and takes my protagonist, Nikki Garcia, to Cuba. Of course, I do online research before I travel. Online experiences do not provide the “feel” of a place, the culture, the food, or the special little bits of information I like to add to my novels.

My husband is a wonderful travel companion on research trips. He’s a great sport when I ask him to explore areas he might not be interested in seeing. Over the time I’ve been an author, we’ve encountered surprises, whether it’s walking the old neighborhoods of Barcelona to locate a mosque as in a previous trip, or to explore a section of the Everglades, like on this trip. Or finding a Cuban restaurant in Little Havana in Miami, walking in, and discovering it served Spanish food, not Cuban. What the heck, we were there so we ate seafood paella.

When I’m performing on-site research, I like to put myself into Nikki’s shoes. How would she react to living in a condo in Miami Beach? Eating at Little Havana? Interviewing security guards in Doral? Would she shop for fresh lychee fruit and orchids in the Redlands agricultural area on the west side of the city? Should she discover a corpse in the Everglades or in a canal on Cutler Bay? Would she visit the Deering Estate and Key Biscayne?

Bob and I follow the outline of the places I want to investigate. Doing this work makes me feel like a location scout for a big production company. Of course, this is only one part of my research. And it’s definitely the most fun!

After indulging in food, music, and culture, then reality sets in and I have to actually write the story!

***

What kind of research do you do? Do you enjoy researching various topics for your novels? Ever done on-site research?

Visit me at https://www.Kathryn-Lane.com I love hearing from readers. Ask a question, suggest an idea, or comment about the blog.

Kathryn Lane started out as a starving artist. To earn a living, she became a certified public accountant and embarked on a career in international finance with a major multinational corporation. After two decades, she left the corporate world to plunge into writing mystery and suspense thrillers. In her stories, Kathryn draws deeply from her Mexican background as well as her travels in over ninety countries.

https://www.kathryn-lane.com

https://www.facebook.com/kathrynlanewriter/

The Nikki Garcia Mystery Series: eBook Trilogy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GZNF17G

Photo credits:

All photographs are used in an editorial or educational manner.

The Grounds at Deering Estate, Lily Pads in the Everglades, and Server Showing Paella are photos by Kathryn Lane